MILLPORT residents say their bins 'can't cope' with the number of tourists visiting the island after parts of the island were left strewn with litter.

Despite people making an effort to clean up after themselves, locals say adequate facilities are not in place to deal with the volume of rubbish being generated.

The recent good weather has brought thousands of people to the island.

Bins were quickly filled, leaving people to pack up their rubbish in bags and leave it nearby.

Cumbrae toilet cleaner Suki McGregor says more action is needed as seagulls soon tore apart the bags, leaving a mass of plastic and rubbish behind.

She said: "When it’s busy in the good weather, the bins just can’t cope.

"The ones near Croc Rock are bad as the gulls pull the rubbish back out of the bins looking for titbits, while at Fintry the rubbish had blown all down the road.

"It’s such a shame when individuals and groups are doing regular litter picks.

"I have also seen the contents of a beach clean strewn everywhere. Volunteers left their bags of rubbish next to a bin for uplift, but unfortunately the gulls got there first and ripped the bags apart.

"I guess these are old bins and back when they were put in place there was less plastic bottles and bulky waste being put into them."

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We would advise groups or businesses that leaving full bin liners next to bins will only attract gulls and other animals and subsequently cause the type of issues that recently presented themselves in Millport.

“If you are doing a litter pick, please let us know and we will try and provide bags and pickers and arrange to uplift at the earliest opportunity.

“We will continue to monitor the performance of the bins and members of the public are encouraged to report littering to the Environmental Enforcement Team, who will be happy to assist.”